In modern commercial transactions, it is often desirable to examine goods or other articles carefully to ascertain their condition. New articles rolling off an assembly line are often inspected to ensure that they are saleable and do not suffer from any major defects. Inspections become especially important in the used goods market; it is often desirable to inspect such used goods to determine whether they have been damaged during use and/or to ascertain their current value.
Inspections are especially important for “high ticket” items such as used cars, boats, motorcycles, airplanes and other vehicles. A used car that has suffered damage through hard use or accident is not as valuable as one that has been only lightly used, well maintained and never subject to any collision. Used car buyers are often warned to obtain a complete inspection before purchase to minimize the risk that the used vehicle has hidden defects, flaws or other damage. Similarly, those dealing with a large used item inventory, such as motor vehicle fleet operators, need reliable damage inspections. For example, cars coming off short term or long term leases need to be inspected so the leasing agent can know whether to charge the lessee for damage the lessee is responsible for. Similar inspection needs may be presented in other contexts such as new and used home sale and rent, apartment, office building and other real estate sale and rental, industrial equipment sales, antiques, service offerings, and any type of transaction involving any type of good or service of value.
In the past, inspections were generally performed manually using preprinted forms. The inspector would work from a form or check list on a clipboard as he or she visually inspected the item. Defects would be noted on the form. Sometimes, such forms would include schematic illustrations (e.g., line drawings) of the item being inspected so the inspector could note location and type of damage. Such forms could be mailed or transmitted electronically by facsimile. Damage assessments could be made by comparing information noted on the form with standard damage assessment information. In the case of motor vehicles, for example, the inspector or other person could consult the Kelley Blue Book or other source to determine the fair market value of the vehicle based on the condition of the vehicle, the options installed and other factors.
Preprinted forms are perfectly acceptable for some types of needs and applications, but may be inconvenient or inefficient in other contexts. Suppose, for example, that an inspection service conducts inspections for a number of different clients each having different inspection standards. In the motor vehicle context, one client might want to know about every scratch on the vehicle paint, whereas another client might only care about scratches that are longer than 3″. If such an inspection service conducted inspections for a large number of different clients and a large number of different kinds of motor vehicles, the number and variety of forms would soon get out of hand. If one adds additional challenges such as a large number of geographically-disparate inspectors, clients who want the ability to dynamically change their inspection requirements and/or procedures, and the need to rapidly communicate inspection reports and other results to different locales, it soon becomes apparent that using preprinted forms to collect inspection data becomes impractical.
Some in the past have attempted to use computers and computer systems to gather inspection information. Various systems and techniques have been developed. However, further improvements are possible and desirable.
Exemplary illustrative non-limiting implementations of technology described herein provide a new and useful computer-based inspection data collection system that is especially adapted for modern inspection needs and constraints. An exemplary illustrative non-limiting implementation provides for a large number of inspectors who are geographically separated from one another and may in some cases be only intermittently reachable by electronic means. Each such inspector is provided with a portable data processing appliance such as for example a tablet computer with a touch screen type display and input means. The inspector may, for example, connect the inspection appliance electronically to a main system periodically (e.g., every night and/or every morning, or more or less frequently depending on need) to upload inspection results and obtain electronic updates of inspection procedures, inspection rules (which may be client-specific), cost information and other data. Information electronically provided to the appliance can include, for example, a schedule of appointments and locations for the inspector to visit to inspect goods or services.
The exemplary illustrative non-limiting inspection appliance may provide a unique, easy-to-use touch screen user interface. For example, a schematic diagram of the item being inspected may be displayed on the touch screen. The inspector can use a stylus or other pointing device to indicate damage location on the displayed schematic diagram. Different schematic diagrams can be displayed for different types of goods. For example, in the case of motor vehicles, a different schematic illustration can be displayed depending upon on whether the vehicle being inspected is a sports utility vehicle, a passenger car, a light truck, a compact or other vehicle type.
Aspects of the user interface can be customized based on for example who the inspection is being performed for. Different clients may have different inspection needs. Some clients may not care about certain defects that other clients want to know about. The exemplary illustrative non-limiting implementation can provide, on the inspection appliance, different rules that can be activated in response to which client the inspection is being provided for and/or other factors. The resulting rule-driven user interface is thus customized—allowing the inspector to be more efficient in gathering the precise data desired at the time of data collection. If the inspection client changes the rules, such rule changes can be propagated through electronic downloads across the network of inspection appliances so that inspections can proceed based on the new rules.
Exemplary illustrative non-limiting implementations provide an integrated software suite that provides vehicle inspection services for various clients. An exemplary illustrative non-limiting implementation includes an inspection application that runs on for example desktop, laptop, or pen-tablet PC's; a centralized server application that handles data synchronization between the database and the inspection PC's; numerous systems to handle reporting and data transfer to clients; and a web front end to allow clients to view vehicle inspections on the Internet.
Additional advantageous non-limiting features and/or advantages include:                Highly client-customizability        Easy to Use        ability to run in an environment where the inspector has no constant connectivity to the network (no guaranteed access to the internet, full data replication, intermittent connectivity, synch back up)        inspectors can be geographically separated (e.g., all over the country)        by providing lease services to a number of different companies, it is possible to provide economies of scale        system is installable over the internet to provide efficient installation to far-flung install sites        responsive to inspection requests sent daily (e.g., workflow data files received on a nightly basis—info about vehicles coming off lease to be inspected)        rigorous, customized inspection techniques accommodated.        as the inspector enters the damage, the system knows which client and knows what matters to the client and guides the inspector through the process        